nasional

Nasional is an adjective in Indonesian and Malay that denotes a relation to a nation or to the nation-state as a political and social unit. It is commonly used to describe things connected with the nation, such as national holidays, national symbols, national policies, or the national government. The term often appears in discussions of identity, sovereignty, and state institutions, and it is paired with words like identitas nasional, budaya nasional, atau program nasional.

Etymology and linguistic notes: nasional is a loanword that entered Indonesian and Malay from European languages, predominantly through Dutch nationaal, which itself derives from French national and ultimately from Latin natio, meaning “birth, tribe, people, nation.” In Southeast Asia, the word has been standardized in dictionaries and education to distinguish what concerns the nation from what concerns foreign or international matters.

Usage and contexts: In media and public discourse, nasional often contrasts with internasional (international) or regional terms. It appears in references to national issues, laws, elections, and public administration, as well as in the expression of national symbols and ceremonies, such as bendera nasional (national flag) or lagu kebangsaan (national anthem). It also features in terms like nasionalisme (nationalism), nasionalisasi (nationalization), and peristiwa nasional, reflecting its broad role in political and cultural life.

Overall, nasional functions as a core descriptor for anything tied to the nation, helping to distinguish domestic from foreign, regional, or international dimensions within language and policy.